Hernandez was up in a tree with a rope when the branch he was cutting fell against a power line as the branch was touching his stomach, Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen said.

As his partner watched from the ground, electricity passed through Hernandez's stomach, right arm and thumb, Allen said.

Hernandez was killed, his body still suspended by the rope.

The property owner called 911 at about 11:30 a.m. Central Pocono Ambulance, Jackson Township and Pocono Township fire companies, state police from the Fern Ridge barracks and PPL Utilities workers and a PPL investigator also arrived.

Once PPL cut the power to the live line, firefighters took down the body, and Allen then pronounced Hernandez dead. That part of Neola Church Road was closed until the scene was cleared.

Police learned Hernandez's partner, whose identity they haven't released, had no identification and detained him for questioning.

Police eventually learned Hernandez was an undocumented immigrant using the identity of his 29-year-old brother living in California while Hernandez himself had been living with a woman in Middle Smithfield Township.

Andrew Scott

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